Broadway Baby
by Tattysecondhandbook
Summary: Beca Mitchell has a secret. Something she had been confidently keeping from the bellas for three years. However, with Stacie and Amy around, it was only a matter of time before she was exposed for who she truly is. A star.


"Hey, Chloe, why does Beca always refuse to watch any musicals with us?" Stacie asked the redhead.

"I don't know, I guess she just doesn't like them," Chloe shrugged.

"Come on, there must be a reason. You're her best friend, and everyone loves at least ONE musical. She won't even listen to Hamilton!"

"I really don't know, Stace." Chloe looked up at her from where she was working on her laptop with a helpless look.

"Ugh!" Stacie huffed, falling backwards onto the sofa. She sat up almost immediately. "But she knows all about them. She corrected you when you got that lyric wrong from Chicago."

Chloe put her laptop aside. "Omg, you're so right! It's really weird how she knows everything to do with it but she refuses to watch any!"

"She's hiding something. And I'm gonna find out what it is," Stacie grinned.

Before Chloe could stop her, the leggy brunette had flounced off in search of Amy. The redhead only giggled and rolled her eyes; Beca couldn't seriously have been trying to hide secrets from them. With Amy and Stacie in the house, nothing is truly hidden.

"Amy! Come on, we're going into the attic!" Stacie shouted as she ran up the stairs.

"What?" The Australian shouted back.

"Attic!"

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not going up there! I know I've wrestled dingoes and crocodiles simultaneously, but that shit is creepy." Amy came shuffling out of her and Beca's shared room with wide eyes.

"Come on," Stacie rolled her eyes. "We're gonna find out some hidden shit about the DJ."

"Okay let's go," Amy grinned. "But, if I find a ghost up there.."

"Ghosts don't exist," Stacie rolled her eyes again.

Using their phones as flashlights, Stacie and Amy navigated their way through the cobwebs.

"It smells like horseshit." Amy muttered. "What exactly are we lookin for?"

"We're finding out why Beca knows everything about musicals but refuses to sing or watch any of them. There must be a box or something here,"

"What, like a box labelled "Beca's things do not touch"?"

"Yeah, she won't name it musicals because that would be too obvious,"

"Found it." Amy said, nudging a big box with her foot. It was almost the size of Beca herself.

"Ooh, come on, let's open it!" Stacie said excitedly, getting on her knees.

"Shortstack will hang us up on pitchforks on the top of the auditorium," the blonde said, before shrugging. "Nah, she's too wee to lift us up there,"

Stacie put her phone down and opened the box. They both gasped. Inside was a bunch of VHS tapes, all entitled in Beca's messy scrawl. Stacie picked up the Chicago tape, jaw dangling. Underneath all the tapes, were costumes. And on top of everything, was a framed picture of their captain in a little red dress, blowing a kiss to someone in the audience.

"Do you think she's actually been in these musicals?" Stacie asked, eyes wide.

"Only one way to find out," Amy smirked, taking the Chicago tape and standing up.

"BELLAS ASSEMBLE!" She shouted, knowing everyone but Beca was home. "URGENT MEETING IN THE LIVING ROOM!"

Chloe looked up as the bellas all came filing in, looking confused.

"What's happening?" Jessica asked as she and Ashley took a seat.

Stacie and Amy came prancing in once everyone was seated, holding up a VHS tape proudly.

"What is that?" Emily asked.

"Is Beca here?" Stacie asked.

"No, she's at work. She'll be home at five," Chloe said, closing her laptop.

"This, little legacy, is the key to shortstacks darkest secret." Amy grinned.

"Um, would she want you to watch it?" Emily asked confused. Cynthia Rose rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"No, that's the point. Roll the tape."

Everyone got comfortable and stacie pressed play. The screen was black at first, before a stage was lit. A great grin appeared on Chloe's face and her eyes widened, figuring out what was to come. A small brunette strutted onto the stage, and gasps were heard throughout the room.

"No. Way." Stacies jaw dropped.

Beca lied down on the stage as a group of backup dancers came strutting on, positioning themselves. A spotlight was shone on the bellas leader, and she arched her back to show her face. The music started and the dancers began to circle Beca, strutting and twirling around her. Just as she was about to sing, a sharp shrill interrupted the bellas.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Beca shrieked, a horrified expression on her face as she quickly moved to stand in front of the TV, turning it off and glaring at them all with wide eyes.

"We're just watching Chicago, Becs," Chloe smiled innocently, looking around at the bellas and seeing them all nod in agreement.

"Bullcrap, Chloe! I know what you were all watching!" She snapped, although not with any venom, and crossed her arms.

"I thought you were at work?" Chloe raised her brow, with the same innocent smile on her face, although now it resembled something akin to a smirk.

"They finished early. What the fuck is going on?" She demanded.

"Stacie and Amy found a box of your musicals in the attic and we were watching you in Chicago!" Emily blurted out, before putting her hands over her mouth with wide eyes, curling up as multiple pillows were thrown in her direction.

" _Legacy_! We could have totally kept that going for a little bit longer." Stacie rolled her eyes.

Beca turned on her heel and sent a death glare to Stacie.

"You fucking what? You looked through my stuff?!"

"We wanted to find out why you hate musicals so much yet know everything about them," Stacie shrugged, squeaking as beca lunged for her.

"It said hands off for a reason, Conrad! You all are so dead. Just wait until next rehearsal." Beca growled, looking hard at each and every Bella.

"Shortstack, there's no point getting all worked up and feisty now, the deed has been done. Now, what there is a point to is an interrogation." Amy sat up, crossing her arms and eyeing Beca.

"So you wait until I am out of the house, go up to the attic and search through my stuff, find a box that was _obviously_ labelled for a reason, decide to look into it, something that is up in the attic and has been kept a secret for a reason, something that was obviously not for your eyes, and then after finding out what it is proceed to WATCH the video footage? And now you want to question _me_? This is unbelievable. This is a violation of privacy." Beca huffed out an annoyed chuckle, running her hands through her hair and scowling.

"I hate to break it to you, DJ, but with those two around there ain't nothing in this house that's kept a secret."

"Without those two around it would have stayed a secret! Because I've done a good fucking job at hiding it! Jesse doesn't know, not even Chloe knows about it!"

"Well, Becs, the secrets out now. So why don't you just let them ask you a few questions, there's no point in trying to hide it," Chloe shrugged, light blue eyes sparkling as she smiled up at the brunette. Beca looked at her for a long time, looking as if she was literally having a conflict battle in her head.

Eventually, she sighed and sunk to the carpet, sitting down and crossing her legs. "Get on with it."

Stacie clapped excitedly, followed by Ashley and Jessica. She leant forward and grinned. "Okay. Number one, when did this start?"

"Elaborate."

"When did you start performing?"

Beca sighed again, looking up at the ceiling. "Five or six? I was Molly in Annie. Unless you count talent shows, then three."

"Can you dance?" Flo asked.

"Flo, she's playing Roxie Hart in Chicago. She must be able to dance."

"When did you start dancing? And how come you never showcased your talents?"

"Showcase my talents? Why would I want to showcase being a Broadway baby? I started dancing when I was four. First ballet and gymnastics, which I never stopped, then tap, and then old stuff like the Charlestown and the Lindy hop and stuff, then I starting doing the tango and the cha cha and partner dancing, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, hip hop. I don't know, I've done a bit of everything. I used to take lessons four times a week, but I danced every day." Beca shrugged.

"That's why her feet are always so pointed!" Emily clapped, before looking around cluelessly. "Did no one else realise that? Whenever she's...doing anything that involves no shoes, her feet are pointed. Like just sitting on the couch or whenever her feet are in the air they always end up pointed!"

"Legacy, that's...thats kind of creepy in a cool way that you noticed that...I don't even notice that," Beca blinked. She looked down at her feet and found that they were, in fact, pointed in her cross legged state. She tried to stretch them out, only managing to flex before pointing again.

"Have you always performed?"

"Well, yeah, why do you think I didn't need the training to be able to dance and sing?" Beca rolled her eyes, before deciding that she sounded slightly cocky. "Okay, I mean yes. I haven't gone a year since I was three without performing. Dance showcase, musical, singing, whatever. Usually all three."

"Favourite role you've ever played?"

Beca's eyes widened and she looked incredulously at the redhead. "You can't just ask someone that! That's like having to choose between which one of you id kill first! And right now Amy and Stacie are first in line."

"She's super serious about this stuff!" Stacie clapped giddily. "Oh my god, who knew Beca Mitchell was a musical theatre star?"

"It was probably Fanny Brice, or Rose in Gypsy, Rizzo in Grease was pretty cool. or maybe even Roxie. I don't know...oh shit playing the mad hatter was so cool though."

"Do you have video of all your performances."

"Yes..." Beca rolled her eyes.

"Why did you stop?" Stacie asked.

"Because I messed up." Beca said quietly, looking down at her lap with red cheeks. "I choked. Choking is like firing yourself. Especially when you're known for being that one performer who apparently doesn't have a hair out of place and carries more talent in her little finger than a lot of people in this world. Their words, not mine. But when you choke, you either ignore the fact for the rest of your life, or you never get another callback. By ignoring it, I managed to do both. Well, okay, it's not like I've been there to get a callback but whatever."

"Please, I've seen Glee, I get that it was embarrassing or disappointing or whatever but everyone chokes. And they all just try again the next day. And why did you say you couldn't sing when we met?"

"Because I hadn't sang in front of anyone since I choked."

"What did you choke on?" Chloe continued curiously.

"School performance of all that jazz. Not that clip. Senior year, towards the end. That was the most humiliating moment of my life. Worse than getting arrested, it was even worse than you bursting into my shower." She blushed.

"What kind of school did you go to?" Stacie looked confused.

"I went to a performing arts school," Beca rolled her eyes. "We did normal subjects but the focus was music, theatre and dance."

"So you just quit? You could have been a Broadway star! You still can!"

"Whatever, I DJ now. I've always been trying to choose between producing and performing, right now I'm doing both. Can't perform forever."

"Have you sang All That Jazz since?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, it's still a great number, I'm not gonna throw away the sheet music because of one choke."

"But you threw away your dream because of one choke," Jessica pointed out.

Beca shrugged, picking imaginary lint off of her jeans.

"Do you remember your routines?" Chloe raised her brow.

"After doing them for at least half a year at a time, sometimes at the same time, it's hard to forget." Beca rolled her eyes.

"Why don't you ever dance in the Bellas? You and Flo or you and Stacie could do a really cool duet," Emily said excitedly

"Because I was trying to hide this, that's why,"

"Have you danced since?" Ashley asked.

Beca looked down. "Don't laugh. Don't coo. Don't do anything. Sometimes...most of the time, I go to practice early or sneak in cause I have a key. I just dance."

"You're so-" Chloe started to coo with a wide grin

"Don't. Do. Anything." Beca glared at Chloe.

Stacie pressed play, giggling and clapping as the backing track to All That Jazz sounded throughout the auditorium. Beca stopped going over the clapping sequence with Chloe and looked up. Everyone stopped, laughing at Beca's expression; a mixture of _fuck_ , deer-in-headlights, and RUN. She sent an almighty glare at Stacie, who only smirked.

"Turn that off." Beca warned her.

"Come on, Becs, you said you remember the whole routine," Stacie grinned.

Beca's eyes widened and she let out a laugh in disbelief. "No. I am not doing it. That was like five years ago, I'll mess up on the flip."

"There was a _flip?!_ Now you have to do it."

"No!" Beca growled.

"Becsssssss please?" Chloe asked her sweetly, giving the brunette her best puppy Beale face.

Beca couldn't resist puppy Beale. She shut her eyes and counted to five, opening them to see Chloe's eyes starting to water.

"I...I don't even have my costume." She made a weak attempt to salvage the situation.

"Here," Stacie threw her the black leotard, making Beca groan as she caught it (barely).

"Okay, no, we're rehearsing for worlds."

"Come on, Beca!"

"It's time for a break anyway!"

"Do it, please?"

"When I was eight I had to sing the national anthem in front of the whole town or they were going to burn down my house and bury me alive."

"There...there are no back up dancers." Beca said lamely, looking down as she was being targeted.

"Oh my god, you sound like a serious professional." Stacie laughed.

"You can't make me-"

"Yes we can." Chloe said seriously, crossing her arms and glaring at her best friend.

Beca squeaked as Cynthia rose and Amy dragged her towards the stage. She made them work to get her there though, going from standing completely limp to kicking and screaming. Eventually, CR and Amy got her to the stage and left her standing there as everyone got comfortable.

"Go change," Stacie called from where she was restarting the track.

"I hate you all so fucking much. Making me do this shit, I should report you-where's my fucking rape whistle..."

"Beca." Chloe gave her a pointed look, making the brunette sigh loudly and go behind the curtain.

She came out a few minutes later in a black leotard, fitting her perfectly. It was slightly bejewelled on one side. She was wearing black dancing heels and stockings. The short brunette had a deep scowl on her face as she took her hair out of the hairband, letting it fall onto her face. Stacie wolf-whistled, making Beca sneer at her

"I look like a fucking stripper." She deadpanned, squinting as the room was dimmed and a spotlight was put into her.

"Should we call Jesse?" Fat Amy teased.

"Shut up, no!" Beca shrieked. As much as she loved Jesse, she knew that he was more likely to fanboy than be turned on by the performance.

Not that she wanted to perform for him for that reason, anyway.

For any reason.

She just didn't want to.

"Come on, Mitchell, get on with the show!"

"I don't even have my hat." Beca whined as if it physically pained her that she was without her hat.

"First world problems." Stacie rolled her eyes. "We don't give a shit, just dance!"

Beca haltered for a split second, doubt evident in her eyes. "Don't laugh at me if I choke."

"We won't laugh," Chloe promised.

Beca ran her tongue against her top teeth and sighed again. "Okay, whatever. I'm not in full costume, hair and makeup isn't done. And this isn't like the actual show though, I was in high school, they weren't gonna make me do all the moves that-"

"We don't care, shortstack. Legs," Amy yelled to Stacie, making her start the music.

Beca quickly got into position, sitting at the edge of the stage with her legs dangling and laid down so her head was facing upstage, arms above her head.

Cynthia raised her eyebrows "are you sure you were in high school?"

Beca paid no attention to her, focusing on her cue instead. If she was going to do this for the stupid bunch of misfits, she was going to do it right. She arched her back slightly as she drew in a breath for the first note, slowly sitting up to face the audience

"Come on, babe, why don't we paint the town?" Beca crossed her right leg over her left in time with the music, moving her head from left to right at the same time. She smirked. "And all that jazz,"

"I'm gonna rouge my knees," she ran both hands over her knees and back up to her thighs. "And roll my stockings down," she literally rolled her stockings down, kicking them off. "And all that jazz,"

Beca swiftly moved in time with the music so her left side was facing the audience, her right the stage behind her. She angled herself perfectly, right let straight on the stage and her left bent. She placed her hands behind her, holding her up.

"Start the car, I know a whoopie spot, where the gin is cold but the piano hot!" Beca arched her back, moving so she was on her elbow, and threw her head back.

Chloe's jaw dropped.

"It's just a noisy hall where there's a nightly brawl,"

"And all," she lifted her head, smirking at the audience once again. "That," she switched her legs. "Jazz!" Beca sang.

She kicked her legs up and rolled backwards into a handstand, standing up just as she needed to sing again. "And all that jazz,"

As the backing track sang "hotcha! boogie!" Beca turned her back and strutted upstage, pausing and jutting her hips left and right in time with the music, before rolling her shoulder and looking over it. "And all that jazz," she husked with a wink.

Chloe's eyebrows raised and she smiled brightly, hardly believing that Beca was doing this with such perfection. Not only was it unbelievable that the so called musical-hating brunette was an off-Broadway baby, having been in many musicals all her life, but it was unbelievable that she could do a number at the drop of a hat. What was even more unbelievable then both of those things was the dancing. Beca was DANCING. Dancing with such ease. She must have been a dancer, because although it was impressive when Chloe found out how easily Beca can sing and dance at the same time, she had never suspected it was because of something like this.

The tiny brunette seemed to get lost in the music, dancing around the stage like a second nature. It was probably a first, to be honest. On every _Ha_! Beca would throw her arms up in the air, or a leg out to the side, so high it easily reached her shoulder. She spun around with her leg pressed against the side of her head, her back straight, earning gasps.

"Slick your hair," Beca swayed as she ran her hands through her hair. " and wear your buckle shoes," she tap danced quickly, complicated steps, before throwing one leg over the other as if she was sitting with her legs crossed and bending her knees slightly, turning her face. "And all that jazz,"

She ran animatedly a few steps, looking excitedly surprised. "I hear that Father Dip is gonna blow the blues," pirouette, "and all that jazz!"

"Hold on, hon, we're gonna bunny hug," Beca tapped along the stage. She then body rolled, earning herself as she sang. "I brought some aspirin down at United Drug, in case you shake apart," she shimmied slightly. "And want a brand new start to do," Beca jumped, landing with her feet far apart. "That," she slid down into the splits, raising eyebrows from the bellas. Beca placed her head in her hands, and her elbows on the stage. "Jazz," she performed a series of cartwheels in a circle, legs still split, ending in an Aerial. The bellas cheered as she appeared on top, holding her arm up as if she was holding a drink, with one leg straight and the other turned to the side, bent.

"Find a flask we're playing fast and loose," Beca danced so quickly that nobody could even make our what she was doing. She stopped against the side wall, pressing her back up against it and sliding down slightly. "And all that jazz!"

"Right up here is where I store the juice," she Cha-cha'd back to centre stage, throwing a few turns in as she did so, smirking at the Bellas. Chloe's eyes widened as she watched Beca's hips move. She easily transitioned from the cha cha to the twist, twisting on the spot with a wink, shifting her weight from her left to her right leg. "And all that jazz,"

Beca turned around, thanking God that there was a ladder on the back wall of the stage. She ran over to it and began to climb as she sang.

"Come on, babe, we're gonna brush the sky," holding on to the sides of the ladder, Beca arched her back and looked upside down at the audience with a smile. She turned on the ladder so she was facing the audience. "I bet your lucky Linda never flew so high!"

Beca did a jeté off of the ladder, her right and back legs at the perfect Angles, arching her back as she jumped. The bellas cheered her on, not that the brunette really noticed, completely lost in the performance. She landed in the middle of the stage, hands above her head as she looked up and sang to the ceiling. "Cause in the stratosphere how could he lend an ear to all," one arm moved to her hip and she moved a leg out to the side. "That," her other arm moved to the other side of her hip and her leg bent next to the other. "Jazz!?"

Beca shimmied her way around the stage, looking elegant and sexy. "Oh, you're gonna see a Sheba shimmy Shake," she paused, striking a pose. "And all that jazz,"

She shimmied again, doing another aerial, this time ending up on the floor, her right leg to the side and her left bent to the same side. "Oh, she'a gonna shimmy till her garters break!" Beca somehow rolled in the air from where she had been sitting, ripping off her leotard in the process. Underneath was another leotard, more elegant and sparkling, earning a few whistles. She landed in the front way splits. She sang along to the backing singers on the track. "Show her where to park her girdle," she threw the leotard, standing up from the splits by literally lifting herself up.

"Oh, her mothers blood'd curdle!"

Beca stood, moving her hips to the beat and looking more than superior, her chin raised and eyes glazed over, as if she had blocked out her surroundings. Chloe could see the glint in her eyes from where she was sitting, and she knew Beca loved to perform. She smiled wider at how content the brunette looked, sparing a quick glance at the rest of the Bellas, who were al absolutely mesmerised. Stacie was recording the whole thing, must to Chloe's pleasure. She knew Beca wouldn't have begrudgingly agreed to performing if she hadn't wanted to, and it was obvious how much she was enjoying it. Chloe looked back at her best friend, who was about to start singing again.

"All," Beca's head snapped back, her left hand grasping her hair and her arm in front of her face. Her right hand was on her back, angled to look as if it was on her hip, and she has her left leg firmly on the ground and her right bent just in front of it. It was such a vivid motion and it truly captivating the Bellas. "That," she moved again, so quickly you could barely even see the transition, so that her back was now bent forward, bottom up, her legs had switched and her right arm was dangling with her left on her back. "Jazz!"

She danced around the stage, and honestly every Bella was thinking one thing. To hell with backup dancers. Backup dancers would only slow Beca down. She was so amazing at dancing that just her on the stage was captivating enough and all they needed. It was like she worked the stage, like it wasn't providing her the space to perform, but the other way around. Like, without Beca there would be no stage. The brunette was even able to throw some ballet into the dance routine, although the music usually would not be music to dance ballet to, Beca managed to make it look like all the ballerinas in the world were doing it wrong. Incredible.

"All," pose. "That," pose. "Jazz!"

The bellas squealed and clapped as Beca belted out the note whilst energetically dancing. How she did it they would never know.

"Come on, Babe, why don't we paint the town? And all that jazz!" She strutted backwards, and honestly how anyone could strut backwards was a mystery to Emily, grinning and moving her hands in a way that she was pulling a rope, before dropping and running her hands down to her ankles. "I'm gonna rouge my knees," she got back up again and did the Charlestown, before doing a back aerial as she sang, and Stacie had thought that was damn impossible before. "And roll my stockings down!" Her heels were kicked off in the aerial, revealing a thin pair of ballet shoes that barely covered her toes and heel, earning more applause. "And all that jazz!"

"Start the car, I know a whoopie spot, where the gin is cold and the piano hot!" She managed to make it look as if she was playing the piano to the music, and as she sang hot, she effortlessly somersaulted forward, landing on her feet. The Bellas gasped and clapped again, although Beca smirked; they hadn't seen the showstopper yet. as Beca turned as she sang, pirouetting continuously on the spot:

"It's just a noisy hall where there's a nightly brawl and all," Beca stopped abruptly, hands out wide and legs shoulder width apart. "That," she moved, standing straight. "Jazz..." Beca whispered.

Thanks to her positioning, she stepped back and took in the length of the stage. It really was massive, especially for someone as small as she was. She took a running start, before hand-springing across the length of the stage in time with the beat, ending in a fast double somersault and, once she had landed, added in a jeté. Some Bellas screamed, and some whistled in excitement, they were all clapping as loud as they could. Honestly, Beca could be an Olympic gymnastic if she kept at it.

She turned so she was facing the audience, smiling wildly. She strutted towards the edge of the stage.

"No, I'm no ones wife but, oh I love my life!" Her arms spread out wide, she stayed still for the ending. "And all that Jazz! That jazz."

Death drop.

Beca did a death drop.

Chloe was the first one to stand, followed by Stacie, and then everyone. The applause sounded like a full house, not twelve Bellas. Beca only stared at the ceiling, panting. She could hardly believe she had just performed the whole song without choking or messing up. Eventually she sat up, grinning as the Bellas didn't stop clapping. She blushed and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, it wasn't that impressive," Beca chuckled.

"I CANT BELIEVE YOU JUST DID THAT!" Chloe squealed, jumping up and down. "IT WAS AMAZING!"

"The dancing! And the gymnastics! And the singing! And the costume change! How the fuck did you do that without getting out of breath?!" Stacie bubbled over.

Beca shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think about breathing, I just do it,"

"How come there was so much gymnastics involved?" Jessica asked.

"Cause when Jason, the choreographer, found out I did gymnastics for 14 years and that I could sing without getting out of breath no matter what, he put it in there to "showcase my talents" or something,"

"BECA IM SO PISSED!" Chloe shouted, pouting, although her eyes were still sparkling with excitement.

"Why?" Beca asked carefully.

"Because you didn't tell me that you're a musical prodigy!"

Beca laughed loudly. "I am not a prodigy, Chlo. And I told you why I didn't say anything, I'm sorry for not telling you."

"Shortstack, we didn't know you had it in you!" Amy grinned.

"God, it was just a number." Beca shook her head with a small smile, crossing her legs on the stage.

"It was not just a number! That was extraordinary! Can you do it again?" Emily asked.

Beca laughed. "No, legacy, sorry but I am not doing that number all over again. Stacie probably videoed it anyway, right?"

Stacie nodded.

"Please?" Emily asked.

"No, I'm not doing the same number twice in a row. You're lucky I did it at all," Beca scoffed with a roll of her eyes.


End file.
